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    Wearing guide

    It takes me forever every morning

    Long mornings are one of the most common frustrations for new wearers. Here's what's normal, and how to get faster without skipping the steps that matter.

    By the Scleral Lens Team · Updated October 2, 2026 · 1 published source cited

    The short answer

    Slow at first is normal, and most people get much faster with daily practice. Set everything out the night before, use the same spot and order every day, and practice when you're not in a hurry. If it's still taking a long time after a few weeks, tell your fitter: a different tool or a lens change can help.

    Before you start

    Time: Faster with practice.

    • Your kit, laid out the same way every day
    • The printable practice log, to see your progress

    Step by step

    1. Set up the night before

      Lay out the towel, mirror, inserter, remover, and a saline vial before bed, so the morning starts with the lens.

    2. Same spot, same order

      Do the same eye first, in the same place, every day. Routine is faster than decisions.

    3. Practice when you're not rushed

      Extra practice on an evening or weekend, when nobody's waiting, builds speed for workday mornings.

    4. Track your time

      Note how long it takes and how many tries. Seeing the numbers fall is motivating, and useful for your fitter.

    5. Don't cut the corners that matter

      Hand washing, a fresh vial, filling to the brim, and the three checks are what keep your eyes safe and bubble-free.

    6. Tell your fitter if it's not improving

      After a few weeks of daily practice, a different inserter, a stand, or a lens change may help.

    These are general steps. If your fitter taught you differently, follow your fitter: your lens and eyes are theirs to know. Print the mirror cards to keep by your sink.

    What’s normal at the start

    Almost everyone is slow at first. In a year-long study of scleral lens wearers, 36% could insert a lens correctly in under 15 minutes on the day they received it, while 13% needed more than an hour. Over the year, the number of attempts it took to insert and remove the lenses dropped significantly among those who kept wearing them.[1]

    Keep a log

    The printable practice log has space for tries and minutes each day. Bring it to your follow-up: it shows your fitter exactly where you’re getting stuck.

    Common mistakes

    • Learning on workday mornings only.
    • Skipping hand washing or the bubble check to save time.
    • Rearranging your setup every day.

    Common questions

    How long should insertion take?

    It varies a lot, especially at first. In one study, about a third of new wearers inserted a lens correctly in under 15 minutes on the day they got their lenses, while some needed more than an hour. Most people get much faster with practice.

    Is it worth getting up earlier?

    For the first few weeks, yes: rushing makes your hands less steady and insertion slower. As you get faster, you'll get that time back.

    Keep going

    Guide

    The scleral lens daily routine

    Mornings: wash your hands, inspect and rinse the lenses, fill with preservative-free saline, insert, and empty and air-dry the case. Nights: remove over a towel, rub each side with your cleaner, and store in fresh solution, never topping off. Replace your case every three months.

    Guide

    Your first two weeks with scleral lenses

    Expect it to be slow and awkward at first. That's normal. Practice every day at a calm time, follow your fitter's wearing schedule exactly, do the three checks after every insertion, and keep notes for your follow-up. Decide after two to three weeks, not after two to three days.

    Guide

    How to insert a scleral lens

    Fill the lens to the brim with preservative-free saline, look straight down with your face parallel to the floor, hold both lids wide at the lashes, and bring the lens straight up to your eye in one smooth motion. Then check for bubbles every time.

     Common worry

    Are scleral lenses hard to put in?

    At first, usually yes. It's a learned skill, and the first tries can take a long time. But in a year-long study, most wearers got noticeably faster and needed fewer attempts as the months went on. Give yourself two to three weeks before deciding you can't do it.

    Sources

    1. Macedo-de-Araújo RJ, van der Worp E, González-Méijome JM. A one-year prospective study on scleral lens wear success. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2020;43(6):553-561. doi:10.1016/j.clae.2019.10.140 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

    Last updated October 2, 2026. Found an error or a newer study? Let us know and we'll correct the page.